GLORIA ROMERO: Students' proficiency either stalled or slipping

Are America’s students making progress in education? Do some states do better than others in producing educational outcomes? Are there recognizable “Achievement Gaps” between minority and white students?

These are some of the questions answered every two years by the National Assessment of Education Progress. Known as “the nation’s report card” (2015 NAEP State and National Results in Mathematics and Reading), it has become a barometer for measuring the academic progress of U.S. students.

2015’s results reveal that American students are performing worse. From 2013-15, the average score for fourth-grade math declined by one point, to 240, on a 500-point scale. In eighth-grade math, the average decline was two points, to 282.

Both drops are statistically significant declines.

What about reading outcomes? Fourth-grade reading scores remained unchanged statistically from 2013, while eighth-grade reading scores dropped two points, to 265.

NAEP also reports scores based on achievement levels: basic, proficient and advanced (or, showing mastery of standards). Just 40 percent of fourth-graders were at or above the proficient level in math – down from 42 percent in 2013. Thirty-three percent of eighth-graders were at or above proficient level in math.

In reading, only 36 percent of fourth-graders and 34 percent of eighth-graders were at or above the proficient level, while the percentage of students scoring “below basic” – the lowest level – increased for fourth- and eighth-grade math and eighth-grade reading.

Stark racial and ethnic achievement gaps persisted in fourth- and eighth-grade reading and eighth-grade math. Interestingly, one gap did narrow – that between black and white students in fourth-grade math. Sadly, this narrowing was attributable to a decline in white students’ scores.

White students’ scores declined in both eighth-grade subjects as well. Black and Latino eighth-graders’ scores dropped in both math and reading.

The District of Columbia and Mississippi were the only two places to post increases in both fourth-grade math and reading. However, D.C. continues to perform well below the national average in both. In both eighth-grade math and reading, D.C. scored lower than all 50 states. Sixteen states saw declines in fourth-grade math scores.

Not a single state posted increases in eighth-grade math scores. Twenty-two states had declines in eighth-grade math. West Virginia was the only state with an increase in eighth-grade reading, while eight states declined.

California’s results largely mirrored national outcomes. Results for fourth-grade math dropped 2 points while eighth-grade math dropped 1 point. In reading, scores remained flat in fourth grade and fell 3 points in eighth grade. In fourth-grade reading, California ranked 49th among the states and was 43rd in eighth-grade reading. In math, California also ranked near the bottom.

Chris Minnich, executive director of the Council of Chief State Schools Officers, representing the nation’s statewide top education leaders, reflected on the lack of progress. The results “confirm that we have a long way to go with our kids across the country.”

Results also raise concerns for future testing results, as many had presumed that preparation for new Common Core standards would have nudged NAEP scores upward. That didn’t happen.

The economic vibrancy of a city, state or nation depends on the educational prowess of its students. How can we compete in a global economy if students can’t read or reach proficiency in critical math skills? Lamentably, once again, the NAEP results underscore the urgent need for transformation of American schools, including expansion of independent charter schools, transforming failed schools and expanding parental choice options. Let’s get moving.

Staff opinion columnist Gloria Romero is an education reformer and former Democratic state senator from Los Angeles. Email: Gloria@parentempower.org.

WRITE A LETTER TO THE EDITOR:
Letters to the Editor: E-mail to letters@pe.com.
Please provide your name, city and telephone number (telephone numbers will not be published).
Letters of about 200 words will be given preference. Letters will be edited for length, grammar and clarity.

Join the conversation

We invite you to use our commenting platform to engage in insightful
conversations about issues in our community. Although we do not pre-screen comments,
we reserve the right at all times to remove any information or materials that are unlawful,
threatening, abusive, libelous, defamatory, obscene, vulgar, pornographic, profane, indecent
or otherwise objectionable to us, and to disclose any information necessary to satisfy the law,
regulation, or government request. We might permanently block any user who abuses these conditions.